Machine for marking surface areas.



No. 788,623. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905. E. v. BEALS. MACHINE FOR MARKING SURFACE AREAS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No. 788,623. PATENTED MAY 2, 1.905.

. E. v. BEALS.

MAGHINBFOR MARKING SURFACE AREAS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0r. Int/Zena; 6 In pant mwkd M Y Zflald/ PATENTED MAY 2. 1905.

E. v. BEALS.

MACHINE FOR MARKING SURFACE AREAS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i l i I AF EPE iTn STATES Patented May 2. 1905,

PATENT lVlACHlNE FOR NIAHKBNG SURFACE AREAS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,623, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed May 6, 1904. Serial No. 206,629.

To all 7!}71/0777/ it may (zone/awn..-

Be it known that 1, ERL V. BEALS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Arlington .Heights, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an lmprovemerit in Machines for Marking Surface Areas, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine for meas uring surface areas-such, for instance, as is used for measuring hides, skins, and leather.

The invention has for its object to provide a measuring-machine of the character described with means for printing or otherwise marking upon the hide or skin the area measured by the machine, said means cooperating with a movable part of the measu1'ing-machine, so as to accurately print or mark skins differing in area. The printing or marking mechanism may be made in the form of an attachment to the measuring-machine, and the movable part of said measuringanachine with which the printing or marking mechanism cooperates may and preferably will be the pointer or index of the registering-dial em ployed on leather-measuringmachines, a common type of such machine being shown and described in United States Patent No. 329,597, dated November 3, 1885, and known as the Sawyer measuring-machine. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 represents in section and elevation a sufficient portion of a measuring-machine provided with a marking mechanism embody ing this invention to enable it to be understood; Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. QL'a detail to be referred to; Fig. 3, a detail, on an enlarged scale, of the marking attacl'iment removed from the measuring-machine; Fig. 4, a detail in elevation with parts broken away of the marking device ormechanism; Fig. 5, a detail in section and elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the registeringdial, its pointer, and parts cooperating therewith; Figs. 6, 7, and 8, details to be referred to.

In the present instance I have chosen to show the invention in a machine for measur ing hides, skins, or leather, which is substantially the same as shown in the patent referred to and which consists of a dial (1 having a pointer or index I), mounted upon a shaft 0, which is suitably connected with the hubs of toothed segments (Z, adapted to be rotated by pinions 0, attached to measuringwheelsf', which cooperate with a bed-roll g, the toothed segments (Z being mounted in levers it, which are connected by rods 03 with levers j, in which the wheelsf are mounted.

The operation of the machine as thus far described is the same as that described in the patent aforesaid.

In accordance with this invention the measuri ng-machine is provided with means for marking upon the individual hides, skins, or pieces of leather the surface area indicated by the pointer or index 7). In the present instance I have shown one construction of means for accom iilishing this purpose.

Referring to Fig. 5, the shaft 0 is shown as extended into a casing 10, suitably secured to the dial a, said shaft havingfast on it within said casing an arm 12, which is secured to the shaft 0, so as to lie in the same plane and to extend in the same direction as the pointer or index I). The arm 12 is provided, as shown, with a tooth or projection 13, which cooperates with a series of stop-pins 14, mounted in a carrier or wheel 15, which is loosely mounted on a shaft 16, having bearings in the easing 10. The stop-pins 14: may be made as herein shown and are provided at one end with an enlarged portion or head 17, which is preferably provided on its face with a substantially V-shaped recess, (see Fig. 7,) into which the correspondiugly-shaped end of the tooth or projection 13 is adapted to enter, as will be described. The stop pins 14 are movable transversely of the rim of the carrier or wheel 15 and are encircled by springs 18, which act to restore the stop-pins to their normal position (represented in Fig. 5) when the tooth 13 is disengaged therefrom, as will be described. The stop-pins 14 may and preferably will be made of a length substantially equal to the width of the rim of the wheel or carrier 15 and are designed to be moved beyond the rear face or side of said wheel or carrier, as will be described, so as to project into the path of movement of an arm 20, fast on the shaft 16, which is adapted to have imparted to it a longitudinal and a rotary movement, as will be described. The stop-pins 14 are normally forced by the spring 18 against a front stop, herein shown as a ring 19, which is suitably secured to the front face of the carrier or wheel. The longitudinal movement of the shaft 16 may be effected by acam 21, attached to the hub 22 of a beveled gear 23, the said cam cooperating with a fixed device, shown as a bent finger or arm 24, fastened to the casing 10, as by the screw 25. The cam 21. is held in engagement with the finger 24 by a spring 26, which encircles the shaft 16 between the hub of the gear 23 and the bearing-hub 27 on the casing 10. The bevelgear 23 meshes with a like gear 30, fast on a shaft 31, having hearings in a hub 32, hung from the shaft 16, the hub 32 having arms 34, (see Fig. 3,) which are joined to a hub 35, loose on the shaft 16 and retained thereon by a nut 36. The shaft 31 is connected by a universal joint 38 to an extensible shaft comprising the rod 39, sleeve 40, and rod 41, which latter is connected by a similar universal joint 42 to a shaft 43 of the printing or marking mechanism to be described.

In the present instance I have shown one form of printing or marking mechanism which comprises a wheel 45, loose on the shaft 43 and provided on its periphery with characters, herein shown as numerals 46, representing surface areas. The wheel 45 is provided on its inner circumference with depressions or recesses 47, (see Fig. 4,) one for each numeral on the periphery of the wheel, with which cooperates a tooth or projection 48 on a disk 49, fast on a shaft 50, having fast on it a smaller wheel 51, provided on its peripl cry with numerals indicative of fractions of the unit expressed by a numeral on the wheel 45. The shaft 50 is suitably supported by the case 52 and has'fast on it a pinion 53,with which meshes asegmental gear 54, fast on the shaft 43, which latter is provided outside the case 52 with a handle 56, which is frictionally engaged with the shaft 43, which may be effected in any suitable manner as, for instance, by the spring 57, acting on the friction block or piece 58, as shown in Fig. 3. The casing 52, carrying the printing-wheels 45 51, is movable toward and from the table 60, (see Fig. 1,) attached to the framework 61 of the measuring-machine and which supports the hide or skin after it has passed through the measuring-machine. The casing 52 is pivotally supported from the framework 61 of the machine, and for this purpose the said casing is provided with a hollow arm 63, into which extends one end of a rod 64, pivoted at its other end to a bracket 65, attached to the framework of the machine. The bracket 65 supports a spring 66, which normally raises the printing mechanism above the table a sufficient distance to permit the hide or skin to pass freely beneath it, the upward movement of the printing mechanism being controlled by a set-screw 67, extended loosely through the bracket 65 into the rod 64. (See Figs. 1 and 8.) The table 60 supports a suitable pad or other device by which the numerals on the printing-wheels may be inked.

In practice the case containing the printing mechanism may be located at or near one side of the measuring-machine, as represented in Fig. 2. The case 52 is provided with lugs or projections 71 72, with which the handle 56 cooperates, as will be described.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described may be briefly set forth as follows: Assume that a hide or skin has passed through the measuring-machine in the usual manner and that the index or pointer b has been moved to indicate on the registering-dial a the number of square feet or fractions thereof in said hide or skin. In this case it will be noted that the arm 12, which may be termed the selective device of the printing or marking mechanism, is moved coincidently with the pointer or index and assumes the same relation to the stop-carrying wheel 15 that the pointer I) does to the dialthat is to say, when the index or pointer stops at a certain graduation or number on the registering-dial the selective arm stops in line with a plunger or pin 14, corresponding to the number on the dial (6. Assume that the selective arm 12 has stopped opposite the plunger or pin 14 shown in Fig. 5. Under these circumstances the apparatus is in condition to be operated to mark the hide or skin. To this end the operator grasps the handle 56 and turns it from the position shown in Fig. 4 into one substantially diametrically oppositenamely, until the said handle engages the stop 72. During this movement of the handle the shaft 43 is rotated, thereby effecting rotation of the shaft 50 through the segmental gear 54 and pinion 53 and simultaneously effecting rotation of the shaft 16 through the extensible link and gears 30 23. At the initial rotation of the gear 23 in the direction indicated by the arrow 80, Fig. 6, the cam 21 rides against the stationary finger 24 and moves the shaft 16 longitudinally or in the direction indicated by the arrow 81, Fig. 5. The shaft 16 in its longitudinal movement carries with it the arm 20 and the stop-carrying wheel 15 and brings the pin 14 opposite the projection or tooth 13 on the arm 12 into engagement with said projection, and as the arm 12 is prevented from moving backward by an annular head 84 on the inside of the front face of the casing the plunger or stop pin 14 is forced against the action of the spring 18 until the longitudinal movement of the shaft ceases, which occurs when the side or face of the cam 21 engages the finger 24. The Wheel 15 is keyed to the casing 10 to prevent rotation of said wheel. At such time the end of the plunger or pin 14 in engagement with the projection 13 will be projected into the path of movement of the arm 20, which latter is fast on and revolves with said shaft 16, which continues to rotate until the arm 20 is brought into engagement with the projecting stop-pin, whereupon the rotation of the shaft 16 is arrested, and simultaneously the shaft 43 is stopped with the numeral on the printing-wheel L5 in line with the opening 85 in the case 52. (See Fig. t.) The handle 56, owing to its frictional engagement with the shaft 43, is capable of being further turned until it has been brought into engagement with the stop 72, and when the handle is engaged with the said stop the case 52 and the printing mechanism will be moved bodily with the handle, so that the continued downward movement of the handle after it has engaged the stop 72 will bring the numerals on the printing-wheels in line with the opening in the case into contact with the pad 7 O or other inking device, and the printing-wheels are then moved off of the pad and are brought into contact with the hide or skin on the table, thereby printing thereon the number or numbers indicative of the surface area indicated by the number on the dial with which the pointer b registers. The bodily downward movement of the printing-wheels is permitted by the extensible link, and the movement of the printing-wheels toward and away from the frame of the measuring-machine is permitted by the extensible support63 6 1. .After thehide or skin has been marked as described the operator turns the handle 56 upward into the position shown in Fig. 4:, which may be termed the starting position for the said handle. As the handle is moved back into its starting position the shaft 43 of the printing mechanism and the shaft 16 are reversely rotated until the handle 56 is arrested by the upper or back stop 71, thereby turning the printing-wheels back to zero and the arm 20 back to its starting position. (Shown in Fig. On the reverse movement of the shaft 16 the latter is moved by the spring 26 longitudinally in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 81, when the cam 21 is brought into line with the stationary finger 24. The movement of the shaft 16 in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 81 disengages the stop carrying-wheel from the arm 12, whereupon the plunger or pin 14, which was projected beyond the side of the wheel 15, is restored to its starting position within the wheel by the spring 18.

In the Sawyer measuring machine the toothed segments dare held in the position in which they are turned by pawls 90, which are usually disengaged from their cooperating toothed segments by the operator standing at thefront of the machine. The present invention has for one of its objects to effect the disengagement of the holding-pawls after the printing or marking has been accomplished. and by the movement of the printingor marking mechanism. For this purpose the supporting device or frame 91, carrying the holding-pawls, is pro vided with a fork 92, with which cooperates a crank or arm 93 (see Figs. 1 and 2) on a rockshaft 94, suitably supported from the frame of the machine-as, for instance, from the bracket said rock-shaft having a second crank or arm 95, provided with a stud or pin 96, adapted to engage a cam or inclined rib 97 on the arm 63. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the downward movement of the printing mechanism to ink the same does not affect the holdingpawls nor does the movement awayfrom the mcasuring-machine when the printing mechanism is moved from over the pad and brought into engagement with the hide or skin to mark the same. It will be observed, however, that if the printing mechanism is moved from its printing position toward the measuring-machine and beyond its normal position above the hiking pad the cam 97 will ride over the pin 96 and rock the shaft 9 1 so as to move the support for the holding )awls away from the toothed segments (Z, and thereby disengage said holding-pawls from said segments, which are then restored to their normal or starting position in the usual manner. After the segments have been returned to their normal or starting position the printing mechanism is moved to its starting position over the pad 70 and the upper surface of the cam 97 engages the pin 96 and rocks the shaft 94 in the reverse direction, thereby again engaging the holdingpawls with the toothed segments (Z. When the cam 97 on its movement toward the measuring-machine clears the pin 96, the said pin is moved upward by a spring 100 into position to be engaged by the upper surface of the said cam.

I have herein shown one construction of mechanism by which the holdingpawls maybe disengaged from their toothed wheels or segments d; but I do notdesire to limitmy invention to the particular construction shown. So, also, I have shown one construction of printing or marking mechanism and selective mechanism cooperating with the index orpointer; but I do not desire to limit my invention to the particular construction shown.

I claim 1. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with an indeX, adial with which said index cooperates, and ashaft upon which said index is mounted, of an arm fast on said shaft and provided with a tooth or projection, a series of stop-pins cooperating with said toothed arm, a wheel in which said stop-pins are carried, a shaft on which said wheel is loosely mounted, a stop- ITO arm fast on said shaft, a cam to effect longitudinal movement of said shaft and wheel, a marking-wheel provided on its periphery with a plurality of numbers, a shaft on which said markingwheel is loosely mounted, means driven from the marking-wheel shaft for rotating said marking-wheel, and mechanism connecting said marking-wheel shaft with the shaft on which the stop-pin wheel is mounted, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a dial, a pointer or index cooperating therewith, and an arm movable with said pointer, of a wheel provided with a plurality of stop-pins cooperating with said arm, a shaft upon which said wheel is loosely mounted, a stop-arm fast on said shaft and cooperatingwith said stop-pins, a marking mechanism provided with a numbered wheel, a shaft on which said numbered wheel is mounted, a handle on said shaft, and gearing connecting said marking-Wheel shaft with the shaft carrying said stop-Wheel, and means to effect longitudinal movement of said stop-wheel shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a plurality of stop-pins cooperating with said device, a carrier for said stop-pins, a shaft on which said carrier is mounted, a rotatable marking device, a shaft on which said marking device is mounted, means to connect said shafts, and an arm fast on the shaft on which said carrier is mounted and cooperating with the stop-pins to arrest rotation of said shafts, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided With an arm movable by the surface measured, of a plurality of stop-pins cooperating with said arm, a carrier for said stop-pins movable toward said arm to cause the latter to engage one of said stop-pins and move it into its operative position, a stop-arm movable into engagement with the stop-pin in its operative position, a marking mechanism, and means connecting said marking mechanism with said shaft to operate, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is moved into different positions by surfaces of different area, of a plurality of movable stops cooperating with said device, a carrier for said stops, an arm cooperating with said stops, a shaft on which said arm is mounted, a marking mechanism, and means to connect said marking mechanism with said shaft, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with an index or pointer and with means actuated by the surface measured for moving said index or pointer, of a marking mechanism for marking the measured surface provided with a plurality of characters indicative of different areas, and aselcctive mechanism for said marking mechanism cooperating with said index or pointer to select a character of the marking mechanism indicative of the area denoted by the pointer or index in the position in which it is moved by the measured surface, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a rotatable marking mechanism provided with a plurality of marking devices indicative of different areas, and means actuated by the rotation of said marking mechanism and cooperating with the movable device of said measuring-machine to arrest the rotation of said marking mechanism with the marking device which corresponds to the position of the movable device of the measuring-machine in its operative position, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a marking mechanism provided with indicators of different areas for marking measured surfaces of different areas, and means under control ofthe movable device of the measuring-machine for selecting an indicator of the marking mechanismwhich corresponds to the position of the movable device of the measuring machine, substantially as described. I

9. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device movable into different positions by surfaces of different area, a rotatable marking device, means to rotate said marking device. and selective mechanism for said marking device cooperating with the movable device of the measuring-machine, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a marking device movable into engagement with the surface measured by said machine and provided with a plurality of characters indicative of different areas, and means cooperating with said marking device and with the movable device of said measuring-machine to present to the surface measured a character of the marking device which is indicative of the area of said measured surface, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a dial and an index or pointer cooperating therewith, of a marking mechanism movable into engagement with the surface whose area is indicated by the index or pointer, and means cooperating with said pointer or index to govern the record effected by the marking mechanism, substantially as described.

1E2. The combination With a machine for measuring surface areas provided with a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a marking device, and a selective mechanism cooperating With said marking device and With the movable device of the meas uring-machine to cause the marking device to eifect a record on the measured surface corresponding to the position into which the movable device has been moved by the meas ured surface, substantially as described.

13. The combination With a machine for measuring surface areas provided With a device which is movable by the surface measured, of a marking mechanism provided With a plurality of characters indicative of surface areas, means for moving said characters into engagement With the surface measured by said machine, and means cooperating With said marking mechanism and with the movable device of said measuring-machine to present to the surface measured by the machine a character of the marking mechanism corresponding to the area measured by said machine, substantially as described.

14. The combination With a measuring-machine provided with rotatable toothed devices actuated by the surface measured, holding devices cooperating With said toothed devices, mechanism for marking the surface measured, and means for connecting said marking mechanism with said holding devices to effect disengagement of said holding devices from said toothed devices by movement of said marking mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ERL V. BEALS. Vitnesses:

J AS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

